FIVE DEFENDANTS SENTENCED IN CONNECTION TO STRING OF ULTA BEAUTY STORE THEFTS ACROSS SUFFOLK COUNTY

(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that ASIA LEAPHART, SHAMIQWA DIXON, DEVONTE JENNINGS, TYJANEA WEAVER, and NAIKEYA TERRY, have all pleaded guilty and been sentenced for their roles in a string of retail thefts at Ulta Beauty stores in East Farmingdale, Commack, and Patchogue.

“These individuals operated together in groups and wreaked havoc on businesses across Suffolk County by taking things that did not belong to them,” said District Attorney Tierney. “We will continue to investigate and prosecute those who commit these quality-of-life crimes that threaten the livelihood of our residents and businesses. In Suffolk County there are consequences for stealing other people’s property. You will go to jail.”

On November 19, 2021, DIXON, LEAPHART, JENNINGS, TERRY and WEAVER, were observed exiting an Ulta Beauty store in East Farmingdale with over $4,000 worth of fragrances that they did not pay for. The incident was captured on the store’s video surveillance system.

On March 1, 2022, DIXON, JENNINGS, and TERRY entered an Ulta Beauty store in North Patchogue, loaded approximately $2,700 worth of fragrances into bags, and left the store without paying. The incident was caught on the store’s security camera.

On May 7, 2022, LEAPHART and CECIL MCHUGH, were allegedly observed by Suffolk County Police Department plain clothes detectives stealing nearly $4,000 worth of perfume and cologne at the Ulta Beauty store in East Farmingdale. While attempting to apprehend the pair, the detectives used two vehicles to block LEAPHART’s 2013 black Nissan Altima so she could not leave the parking lot and ordered her to stop. LEAPHART ignored their commands and reversed her vehicle into an unmarked police car behind her, causing one of the detectives to sustain neck, back and leg injuries. LEAPHART then accelerated at a high rate of speed toward the other unmarked police car parked in front of her, plowed into the driver’s side of the car, and then recklessly drove out of the parking lot. LEAPHART’s Nissan Altima was subsequently located parked and unoccupied in Wyandanch. She was later arrested on May 15, 2022.

On September 27, 2022, JENNINGS, 24, of Wyandanch, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, and on the same day, was sentenced to one year in jail. He was represented by Pete Mayer, Esq.

On October 17, 2022, TERRY, 41, of Wyandanch, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony. On February 16, 2023, TERRY was sentenced to one year in jail. She was represented by Robert Kelly, Esq.

On December 7, 2022, LEAPHART, 26, of Deer Park, pleaded guilty to Attempted Assault in the Second Degree, a Class E felony, and Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. On March 31, 2023, LEAPHART was sentenced to one year in jail. She was represented by Michael Elbert, Esq.

On February 17, 2023, DIXON, 28, of Coram, pleaded guilty to Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. On April 14, 2023, DIXON was sentenced to 1.5 to 3 years in prison. She was represented by Sean Dixon, Esq.

On January 17, 2023, WEAVER, 23, of Wyandanch, pleaded guilty to Petit Larceny, a Class A misdemeanor, and was placed on probation. Her case is still pending. WEAVER is represented by the Legal Aid Society.

JENNINGS, TERRY, LEAPHART, DIXON, and WEAVER’s cases were all heard before Supreme Court Justice, the Honorable Richard Ambro.

MCHUGH, 29, of Amityville, was indicted for Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a Class D felony. His case is still pending before Judge Ambro. MCHUGH is being represented by Robert Macedonio, Esq.

These cases were prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Robert Kerr of the Narcotics Bureau and Assistant District Attorney Ashley Stapleton of the Major Crime Bureau.

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Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.

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